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Friday, 28 March 2008

Hey Apple - Bite Me!

Much has been written about the MacBook Air over the past few months; its pros, cons and everything in between.

I have been a lover of Apple Macs since the year dot. My very first computer, which would now be considered a dinosaur, was a Mac. I loved it so much I have never been able to part with it. There it sits. A museum piece by anyone’s standards.

But for all the wonderful cutting edge design innovations Apple has been championed for, I am beginning to think its definition of beauty is more about air brushing than the real thing. In fact, Steve Jobs, I would really like to have a word with you about your slick marketing strategies. Simply because they are going to come back and bite you big time.

You have quite purposely entered the Size Zero debate with gusto. Of course, you know what you're doing. Thinnovation strategies are being done to death, literally. Last August, you unveiled your 2-inch thick desktop, heralded by the slogan: "You can't be too thin. Or too powerful." That lasted all of two weeks before you pulled the offensive slogan off your website. And yet you’re still at it with the release of the MacBook Air. Then again, you know a winning marketing formula when you see one. You can’t be too rich or too thin, right?

You claim, with the release of this latest offering, to have changed conventional thinking by dropping lbs overnight and thereby creating a new standard in the process. You tell us that you've produced a product which is super slim, far slimmer than your nearest ‘slim rival' by using numerous size and weight shaving innovations. Apparently, everything has been considered and reconsidered with thinness in mind. Your product is nearly as thin as an index finger, it can slip into thin spaces and it’s been streamlined within an inch of its life. As light as air.

You are still talking about a computer aren't you?

So many innovations. In such a neat, tiny package. A THIN package. The THINNEST of all packages. We understand. Its THINNESS is a beautiful thing.

Brilliant marketing aimed at a target group who will soak it up. Just like the millions of young girls who are members of the online game Miss Bimbo. The parents of these young girls should be very, very afraid.

Why then Steve, do you have to perpetuate the ideal of thinness and the notion,'the thinner you are, the happier and more powerful you are.' Is the real message that ‘the physical appearance is more important than what is inside?' Is that all you are offering? Funny how the marketing of the ‘Air’ only points out its size as opposed its features. Cher, for example, supposedly had to lose a few ribs in order to get super thin. So what did you have to do Apple to achieve your new level of thinness?

You say that "seeing is believing," so I asked this question at my local Mac dealer. The MacBook Air processes more slowly than any other Mac. Its processor had to be shrunk by 60 percent in order to fit in the tiny frame, the rep told me. Of course, the screen is super bright and the design to die for. And it’s light to carry. What more could I want? It’s the perfect thin accessory. You cannot help but want to touch the perfection that it is.

”Are you per chance overestimating the importance of its thinness?”, I asked the dealer. “Its size is the only feature you can actually see, but that isn't the factor that makes a difference in performance is it? The most important features, when it comes to performance, are processor speed and memory. Correct?” "Why, yes", he said, "that's true."

In other words, contrary to Apple's assertion, you can indeed be "too thin." This laptop's skinniness comes at a high cost and slower processing. Don't judge a computer by its cover. Sure, if you want a chic piece of minimalist art at a high price, go right ahead. But I think beauty is more than skin deep. I want a computer which looks good and performs well. Oh and let’s not forget, one with a great personality too. When you do that for me Steve, and you are a bit more responsible in how you interact with your target market then I will gladly come back into the MacFold.

It's only a matter of time before the owners of the tiny virtual Miss Bimbos will be buying their charges a MacBook Air, the skinniest and coolest accessory of the moment. It only takes one bad apple......

5 comments:

As someone who spent my teen years binging and purging before becoming a full on anorexic, I wish people would stop and take a moment to think about what they are saying and exactly how it might sound to a child.

The MacBook Air does look beautiful though... but I would much rather use my clunky heavy one than to give up the items I need for the sake of appearances.

I'm glad I don't get to see these commercials. Of course, ads never did have much impact on me... other than disgust.

I was beginning to think that my next computer would be a Mac, but I'm not too sure. I want substance, not appearance. I wouldn't mind having a lighter laptop (I have a widescreen Dell), but I can deal with carrying a little more weight. I can always call it exercise.

Dear Lilly,Great post and just on a day when I am thinking of purchasing a new Apple computer after some time away in Dell and HP territory.Glad to know this about the new product: have to say their ad with the captivating music as the Air is removed from a padded envelope is a genius ad.But, advertising, as you say, is not the whole story. Boy, do we know that one!Reminds me of a post I wrote at Christmas titled: Lousy Packaging, God, which contrasts Madison Ave's approach and God's approach.Thanks, btw, for visiting my blog.I will return to read more of your interesting posts.And the photo of the apple: great!Jlo